For perhaps the first time since the 1950s, the retail and restaurant franchise environments are undergoing a huge transformation right now. In-store trackers, geolocators, and increased digital/brick and mortar integration mean that owners need to be as tech savvy as they are sales savvy.​A big part of that discussion is how best to utilize digital signage. Driven by demand, opportunity and the dropping cost of digital screens, it’s an increasingly popular option for franchise owners.

​Top 10 benefits of digital signage in the modern franchise environment:

1. Minimizes perceived wait time

One of the best things you can do to improve customer experience is to keep them entertained. A digital screen gives them something to do-it’s a lot less annoying to wait in line if you’ve got something to watch. As a result, perceived wait time drops.

​2. Run time-sensitive ads

The lead time on a print ad is at a minimum six weeks. For most restaurant franchise companies, it’s even longer. But digital signage is connected to the internet, which means that fresh ads can be rolled out as easily as a social media post. It also means:

You can run social media feeds, weather, blog posts – whatever you could run on a website.

You can run extremely relevant and local ads (since you’re not relying on a national brand to send you collateral)

​3. New creative is inexpensive

​Compared to traditional print signage, it’s far less expensive to develop and roll out new ads for digital screens. This means that you can run more targeted, local marketing campaigns. Your digital marketing plan can now take into account local events as well. For example, you might create two ads depending on the outcome of a local football game and then run the relevant ad.

4. You can run relevant ads depending on the time of day or day of the week.

Breakfast ads during breakfast if you’re a restaurant franchise, for example. Alternatively, if you have a retail clothing franchise, you might run ads featuring rain gear on rainy days and sunglasses on sunny ones.

​5. Digital signs increase sales.

​A report in from DataTrend found that digital signage increase purchase amount and dwell time by almost 30% each in retail business. In terms of digital marketing tactics, it’s hard to get a better bang for your buck.

​6. Digital signage can be interactive.

​You can use digital signage to interact with your customers and thus learn more about them–“Data-driven marketing”. For example, you might run a social promotion where customers can sign up to receive email newsletters in exchange for a discount. Waiting in line to check out with their smartphone is a prime time to deliver that message to customers.

7. You can double up your marketing efforts by using content online and on digital signage.

​Most major franchised brands, from Krispy Kreme to McDonald’s, produce far more digital marketing content at both the national and local level than ever ends up offline. With digital signage, you can leverage a lot of that creative work and reuse it, quickly and effectively updating your in-store marketing.

8. You can quickly test and iterate your marketing tactics.

​Because you can put up and take down different ads at the click of a button, you can be extremely effective in testing which marketing messages work best. Over time, you can hone your digital marketing strategy accordingly.

​9. Reduces administration cost.

​Digital signage might be expensive to install, but you save money in the long run by reducing print and administration costs. As a one-time expense, digital signage equipment is generally regarded as a capital investment and comes out of an operations budget and not your marketing budget. Even better, there is no print cost.

And, digital administration can be done by one person in a central location. So if you own 10 franchises, you can update all of them at once. With just one person updating it, it’s easier to manage and you can ensure peace of mind that it’s been done, and done consistently with brand standards. In comparison to coordinating a new print roll out, digital signage:

Is faster and easier

Creates a more consistent brand experience across franchises

Is easier to comply with changing regulations

10. Digital signage lets you leverage video.

Video is far more engaging than stills. Digital signage lets you leverage the hypnotizing power of video to snag and hold customers’ attention. Even simple animations like pause and zoom effects on still artwork provide a more engaging viewer experience.

Interested in accepting credit card online as well as internet banking for your online eCommerce website? The following services provider at below is few of option you can look in to. There are few more other in market than the listed name below but I think the listed name below will help you to decide which payment gateway provider is more suitable for you.

Author: CKyzson @ Instagram

2Checkout

​Whether you're tapping into international markets, looking to boost conversion rates, or running a subscription-based business, 2Checkout can help you tackle the complexities of digital commerce, globally. The Avangate Monetization Platform is comprehensive and flexible, so you can quickly pursue new market opportunities and deliver exceptional user experiences.

BitPay

PaymentExpress

Payment Express Is a high growth, innovative global leader in payment technology. Providing PCI DSS compliant payment solutions, we're certified with all major card schemes. A global end to end platform for ecommerce, retail and unattended that facilitates payments seamlessly in real time.

Paydollar

​Established in the year 2011, AsiaPay Malaysia is a wholly owned subsidiary of AsiaPay Limited which is one of the leading payment service providers in the Asia Pacific region. We deliver secure and reliable payment services for businesses of all sizes, helping them to reduce fraud, lower costs and improve selling efficiency in both local and international markets.

GoCoin - Accept BitCoin

​The platform makes taking Bitcoin and other blockchain currencies as easy as installing a plugin. Make more money by letting all of your customers pay. You receive money deposited to your bank account. Everyone wins.

Mpay @ ManagePay

​ManagePay Systems Berhad (“MPay”) is a provider of end-to-end electronic payment (“e-Payment”) solutions for banks and financial institutions, merchants and card issuers with operations in Malaysia. The Company is currently listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia with market capitalization in excess of RM120 million.

PUT IT ON LAY-BUY

​The LAY-BUY button is the only button merchants will need to display within their checkout environments. All other checkout buttons, Lay-Buy calculators, layby/layaway payment plans and supporting Lay-Buy processes are hosted within www.lay-buys.com secure environment.

eGHL

eGHL began long before the year 2000, where they started as a business department under GHL System. They were rebranded as a subsidiary of GHL Group of Companies in 2013 and officially launched as eGHL on 15 April 2014. Today, eGHL are running in 5 countries, connecting payments in over 48 currencies.

PayPal Express Checkout

​The PayPal Express Checkout with In-Context flow gives your customers a simplified checkout experience that keeps them local to your website throughout the payment authorization process and enables them to use their PayPal balance, bank account, or credit card to pay without sharing or entering any sensitive site.

Sezzle

​Sezzle helps businesses sell more, period. We make shopper checkout seamless. Sezzle assume all fraud, chargeback, and repayment risk, and Sezzle pay merchants in full upfront. Does it get any better?

ePay / Payment Solutions

e-pay was founded when Malaysia’s telco industry was just emerging in the late nineties. We have been providing top-up services ever since prepaid mobile plans became popular. Since our simpler beginnings, e-pay has expanded to include a host of other e-payment services, allowing us to drop our earlier moniker “One Stop Prepaid Reload” to adopt the now more accurate “One Stop E-Payment Service Provider”.

Coinbase Commerce

Payment Express PxPay

​PxPay 2.0 is a platform independent ecommerce solution provided by Payment Express. Using a Hosted Payment Page to accept sensitive card data, PxPay2.0 provides a financially secure and compliant solution without exposing merchants to sensitive information. Instead of hosting a payment page on their own website, PxPay 2.0 allows merchants to redirect their customer to a payment page hosted by Payment Express; this will normally reduce the scope of Payment Card Industry compliance.

​Comic Fiesta

Comic Fiesta or CF for short, is Malaysia’s longest comicfiesta.org-running convention that focuses on animation, comics and games (ACG). Their focus is to celebrate all aspects of art and creativity (and the ever popular ACG culture). Comic Fiesta is usually held in December at various locations, with the previous event held at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. Comic Fiesta 2013, which was held on 21–22 December 2013 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre was expected to attract approximately 35,000 visitors.​Comic Fiesta (CF)'s is an event held with the motto of "event by fans for fans", and is also currently the first and the biggest non-profit ACG convention in Malaysia, organized by a group of volunteers to bring the comic convention experience to the Malaysian audience.​Founder: -Since: 2002​Organized by: SAYS Youth SocietyWebsite >> ​http://comicfiesta.org

Animangaki

AniManGaki, one of the largest convention of its kind in Malaysia, is the brainchild of Sunway University Anime Club (SUAC)’s founder, Yvonne Sing Yee Wen. The annual convention made its debut in 2009, formed by fans, for fans; with the sole purpose of bringing together animation, comics, and gaming enthusiasts of all ages. Branded as “The Trendsetter”, AniManGaki continues to surprise visitors by bringing new contents to the event each year.​Founder: Yvonne Sing Yee WenSince: 2009Organized by: Rakugaki Events PLT​Website >> https://www.animangaki.com/​

​HobbyCon Sabah

HobbyCon combines the best of pop culture from East and West, uniting the world of comics, anime, Japanese comic, toys and figurines as well as collectibles and games. The objective of this event is to gather hobbyists from around the region and act as a platform for young people to showcase their talent, passion and most importantly to share and spread their hobbies.​Founder: -Since: 2007Organized by: TBAWebsite >> ​https://www.hobbycon.my/

​Penang Anime Matsuri

VAX ​- Visual Arts Expo

Visual Arts Expo (VAX) will be a two-day event, showcasing to the public the best and the cutting-edge in visual arts, which encompasses animation, comics, film, music and video games. On top of the expo, there will be a closed-door business-matching session, where exhibitors, vendors, and sponsors may interact with each other.​Founder: Fazri Nuha & Chris LowSince: 2015Organized By: Valkyrie Creative Solutions Sdn. Bhd.​​​Website >> http://www.vax.asia/

Otakyun Sarawak

​​Otakyun! is an annual ACG (Anime, Comics & Games) convention, evolved from our past event, Anime Gathering (AG), organized by fans for fans. And thus, we are the AG Team, the organizing committee for Otakyun! convention. Our purpose is to bring together both Anime and non-Anime fans from all over Kuching, even the whole of Malaysia, to socialize and to share our passion and interests, namely, Anime (animation), Manga (comics), Cosplay (costume play) and its related sub-cultures.​Founder: -Since: 2007Organized By: Swinburne Anime & Manga Society (SAMS)​​Website >>

​Anime Saiko

​Anime Saiko” the theme of this event is “Anime Festival”. Featuring Anime concert/gathering with a primary focus on anime, manga and Japanese culture

​Radical Anime Games Expo - RAGE

​Brought to you by EMiNA, Japanese Animation Club of Multimedia University Malacca Campus.

​Founder:Since: 2014Organized By: EMiNA

CTFKL - ​Collectors Toy Fair Kuala Lumpur

Debuting in 2012, COLLECTORS TOY FAIR Kuala Lumpur (CTFKL) came about because we simply felt there was a need for a dedicated "Collectors Toy Fair" for all the serious Collectors in Malaysia. This is a non profit, charity event. All entrance fees from the event will be donated to charity​.​Founder: Wan KedahSince: 2012Organized By:​​Website >>

​​Season4Otaku

​Season 4 Otaku is an event that aim to spread the culture of ACG (Anime, Comics and Games) toward the community. By bringing all the creative artists together and organize unique activities, we hope to provide the best ACG experience to all our beloved community!

​A.C.E - ​Anime & Cosplay Event

Anime Cosplay Events (ACE) is a two-day event that revolves on animation, cosplay, photography, video games, music and performing. Founded by the Anime & Cosplay Club of HELP College of Arts and Technology.​

MGACE

Manga Games Anime Cosplay Expo (MGACE) is a two days event that focuses on the ACG culture. This event will involve art booth for local creative artists, cosplay competition and variety of performances.Founder: -Since: 2014Organized By:​​Website > https://www.facebook.com/MGACE.MY/

​Kuantan Coswalk

​Malaysia Hobby Expo

The Malaysia Hobby Expo is Malaysia’s well known hobby expo ever held in Malaysia. Taking inspiration from internationally lead exhibitions, the event endeavoured to secure the best possible and most suitable venue here in the Malaysia to host our own much needed trade and public hobby exhibition.Founder: - Since: 2016Organized By: GF CUBE GLOBAL SDN. BHD.​​​Website > https://www.facebook.com/myhobbyexpo/​

​C2AGE - Help University

​Cosplay, Comics, Anime and Games Exhibition or short C2AGE, is an initiative by HELP University to introduce the youth community to the amazing and enticing world of Japanese animation, American comics and those with a passion for gaming. HELP University is striving to promote the historically unique Japanese culture amongst our youth and is the first private institution of higher learning to initiate an ACG event of such proportion. HELP University's aim is to host one of the biggest anime conventions in the Asia Pacific Region and HELP University would like to contribute to this increasing popularity. Besides promoting Japanese comics we are also striving to promote American comics by DC Comics and Marvel Comics.​Founder: -Since: 2009Organized By:​​Website > http://c2age.com/

Bring out the visibility of your brand with our wall sticker printing service that is a lot better as compared to the conventional painting costs. Also, enhance the look of your home, shop and business office with our excellent and high quality wall sticker printing services.

Most people find that the best thing about vinyl wall stickers is the fact they can be easily attached to almost any wall. Not only are they easy to attach, you can take them down just as easily. The most effective way to display your company message and design.

Our all sticker will usually last 3 years on an exterior surface – a lot longer on an interior wall depending upon the environmental conditions, temperature etc. Our products outperform cheap wall stickers; last longer and look better because our removable wall decals and stickers are manufactured from the highest quality vinyl and adhesives.

​This is a guest post by Scott Yates. Scott is the CEO of BlogMutt, and is a former writer and PR pro. He also doesn’t like tofu. In the same way that American Airlines and Alcoholics Anonymous are radically different yet share an acronym, now vegetarians and Asian bean curd fans need to share the word “tofu” with marketers using “ToFu.”

It’s short for “Top of Funnel” and MoFu and BoFu then are the middle and bottom of the funnel. It’s the shorthand way of talking about prospects, and where they are in the decision making process. No matter what a company is selling, there are people who are in some stage of making a buying decision, and in nearly all cases the prospects can be divided into those three groups.

How does this relate to PR?Well, there once was a time when PR was just related to the interplay between an organization and the press. We don’t have to tell you that those days are over. The “press” has been completely turned inside out, so now one customer review on Amazon can have as much impact as a story on the NBC Nightly News.​Where success in the old days was clipping out a newspaper article with a favorable mention and taking it to your boss, now PR professionals need to show success that is tightly integrated with your organization’s overall growth goals in mind.So, here are some tips for each stage of the funnel:

​ToFu: The sweet spot for good PR

The greatest sales team in the world can’t close deals if they don’t have leads. Every organization needs prospective buyers to find out, at a minimum, the name of the company and what the company is selling.If you are lucky enough to work for Burger King or Sony then your job is more nuanced. For most of us, the competition isn’t really other companies doing the same thing, it’s potential customers who just want to keep the status quo and not do anything different ever.

And those potential customers can keep the status quo if they don’t know there’s an alternative. That’s why your job is to do great PR. With tremendous effort, careful planning, and exuberant execution, you can pierce the bubble that people create around themselves and let them know that your solutions exist, and that they have a name. This blog is full of tips of how to do all that.​When you do, be sure to let your boss know. Do not tell your boss that you had a PR victory, even if you did. Say that you’ve helped fill that Top of the Funnel. That nuanced difference will make all the difference in the company’s view of you.

​MoFu: Educate, inform, entertain

As someone who can write press releases, you’ve probably also been asked to write blog posts.Ugh.

​It’s true, writing blog posts is an entirely different animal, and if you can’t do it, fear not! There are content writing services out there.

But don’t underestimate the power of a blog. There are three things that a blog can help you with that nothing else comes close to:

Search. All the experts are very clear that blogging is really the only “trick” left in the world of Search Engine Optimization.

Small Talk. Prospective customers want to know if you are able to solve their problems, but they also want to know that you are friendly and accessible. When you meet someone in person you don’t launch into a sales pitch… you make some small talk first. A blog is the internet version of that.

Currency. Many prospects, when comparing you to competitors, just want to see that you are active and engaged in your business. If your competitor’s blog is three months out of date and you blogged yesterday, you have a huge leg up.

It’s not classic PR, but if you can help those prospects move through the Middle of the Funnel with some great content, you’ll be a valuable part of this crucial aspect of your company’s sales funnel.

​BoFu: Best tip you’ll read all week

Traditionally PR is not involved in closing the sale. That’s just the way it is. Want to be a standout PR person beloved by the sales team? Here’s a tip that will make you a hero.

Once a month or so, just wander over to the desk of a salesperson and ask them this question: “What’s an objection that you get in the sales process, and what’s your response?”

Why do you want to know that? Here’s why: The objection — with a bit of editing — will make a fabulous blog headline. The answer — with your deft hands at the keyboard — will make a great blog post.​When the salesperson sees that post, they will look so smart and they will give you lots of credit.

If your company is exhibiting at a trade show soon (especially for the first time!), you might be wondering what the best practices for trade show booth design are. As recent first-time exhibitors at one of the largest trade shows in Las Vegas, the Digital Signage Expo, we’ve learned a few things about what makes for a successful trade show booth. Not only do we think we did a great job with our own setup, but we learned a ton from the other exhibitors, as we’ll show below.

Here are 10 trade show booth design tips to make the most out of your event.

Image: ​https://gmstanddesign.com/portfolio/citrix/

​1. Stay on-brand from top to bottom

​You know how you know Google is Google at an event as large as DSE? Well, they had one of the biggest booths there, but their branding was consistent throughout their entire booth area. All-white kiosks and walls displayed content that was bright and engaging, and scattered across the floor were colorful chairs that matched the iconic logo. When exhibiting, make sure your brand’s theme is consistent across all your design materials, from banners and images to freebies and more.

Image: ​http://banburywalker.com/portfolio/smith-nephew/

​2. Tell people exactly what you do.

Unless you’re Google or Apple, don’t assume people know who you are and what you do. That’s especially true for smaller companies, like the startup ScreenFeed. At DSE, you didn’t need to talk with a sales rep to learn about their offerings—it’s right on the banner behind them. (“We take raw ingredients from the best content sources in the world to handcraft beautiful, ready-made content feeds…”) This likely saved them from repeatedly having to explain what they were about and allowed attendees who were genuinely interested in them to ask more specific questions.

https://www.behance.net/gallery/27420943/Essance

3. Stand out. Be Different

Colour, shape and idea helps that a bright orange is on-brand for Ayuda, there are other ways to stand out. Intel had several demos for people to gather around and interact with, engaging passersby to stop and check out their Internet of Things displays. There are many ways your booth can stand out—don’t underestimate the power of bold design and engaging attendees in a non-salesy way.

https://i.pinimg.com/

4. Be playful. Don't too Stiff and Boring

Any industry trade show has the potential to become repetitive or even boring if all the booths look and operate the same. Rather than run the risk of causing their eyes to glaze right over your booth, give attendees something they can play and have fun with. Intel had a station where anyone could remix Ne-Yo’s latest single and control the lights as he performed on-screen. MultiTaction had a digital air hockey table anyone could battle it out on. Elevate encouraged people to take selfies with a display that superimposed cats and Homer Simpson’s face on their heads. That’s way more engaging than just another pretty image on a screen. How can you turn your product into a game or your booth into a venue? Get creative.

​5. Put your name on it.

​ If you want to be remembered, put your name on your product, your booth, your freebies and anything else people can see or hold. See Samsung and Planar? Of course you do—their names are plastered all over their exhibits. They don’t take their instantly recognizable brand names for granted. They make sure you know who and what you’re looking at. Don’t make people search for your company name as they walk by your booth—they certainly won’t ask.

https://www.eldee-messebau.de

​6. Give something away.

We’re not talking junky swag that’ll go straight in the hotel room trash can, but something attendees will actually use and want. LG-MRI’s ThruVu cooler was stocked with water and soda. Ayuda had a movie theater-style popcorn cart people could grab a snack from. Other vendors still had free coffee and beer (much appreciated by attendees, we can assure you). Tired, hungry or bored attendees will be grateful for the pick-me-up.

7. Go with the unexpected.

Want to catch attendees’ eyes or make them do a double-take? Put something that doesn’t belong in the middle of your exhibit space, like Verifone Media did with a car covered in text. It makes sense for their brand, too, because their OOH appears in taxi cabs, gas stations and transit vehicles. Whatever your technique, try not to be too gimmicky, but instead aim to inspire wonder, amusement or—best of all—a need-to-know response that inspires attendees to ask you questions.

httpwww.acciona-apd.comp=4773

​8. Set a scene.

Along similar lines, you could create an entire scene with its own vibe, like Stampede did with their Western-themed space. Stampede’s main product is its Big Book of AV—something the exhibitors themselves admit is not exciting in and of itself. So they built up a unique experience for visitors with cowboy hats, hay bales and beer, and suddenly a catalog became a destination—and a lot more interesting. If your booth were a place, what would it be?

​9. Make the most of your space.

Whether you have a small booth or a large one, you can maximize every square foot to your advantage. Enplug’s booth was located in the Innovator Zone, where booths are just 5×8 feet. With little space to work with, we made the most of it by hanging up a colorful banner behind us showing off the apps available in our app market. We even took advantage of the high ceilings and tied nearly a dozen three-foot-wide balloons to the booth to create an even grander looking space. It worked—we could easily spot our booth from afar.

https://pinthemall.net/pin/55f2da74ab6f0/

​10. But keep it uncluttered.

Larger booth, doesn’t mean you need to filled up every available square foot just because they could. Make the booth Booth sleek, uncluttered and attractive, and they applied the design principle of using negative space to their advantage. Less is more, as they say.

At the end of the day, the best marketing results come to those who stand out from the rest of the crowd. So, when it comes to YouTube, what is it that makes your videos or your channel unique? What value are you providing to the community with your video content?

​If you can answer these questions, then promoting your channel should become easier for you. But how do you promote yourself and your videos? We show you 47 different ways right here. Oh, and to see where your own YouTube channel ranks today, check out your Tubular Creator Profile here.

Business Cards

Traditional marketing still works. Business cards are an easy and effective way to market your YouTube channel. For best results, every card should include your YouTube name, URL, and links to your social media pages. You can hand them out at events when networking with others and to those interested in your niche. Also, quality design is important in order to make your cards stick out from others.​

T-Shirt Marketing

Thanks to t-shirt marketing, you can promote your YouTube channel by wearing a t-shirt that has your channel info. You can create custom t-shirts for your channel on websites like CafePress and Zazzle. Pick a color that makes your t-shirt stand out and include your YouTube name along with the channel url.​Another way to use this form of marketing is to sell or give away your branded t-shirts. You can give them away to family, friends, and those interested. More people wearing your t-shirts will lead to more viewers for your YouTube channel. This is a great way to expand your potential reach.

Branded Accessories

Pens, erasers, water bottles, and phone cases are just some accessories that can be branded for your YouTube channel. Just like t-shirts mentioned above, these accessories can be given away for more exposure. Every time someone comes across a person using your branded accessories, they may be interested in checking out your YouTube channel. As always, make sure to include your YouTube name and channel url.​

Social Media Profiles

Social media is one of the best ways to grow your channel. Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus should always be fully utilized for marketing. Instagram is another social media platform that is widely used by YouTubers and vloggers. Building a presence on social media allows you to gain exposure immediately for your videos. Each tweet, status update, and post can lead to more views.

It’s important to create a separate account for your YouTube channel instead of always using your personal profile. This allows you to post updates that are always relevant to your audience. You can even link back to your personal profile if you prefer to do so.​

Email Marketing

Collecting email addresses can do wonders for your channel and video brand. It allows you to notify your fans and viewers directly in their email inbox. If interested, you can use a program like Aweber. Email marketing gives you the ability to notify your followers of any new updates and videos whenever you like. You can use this form of marketing to create a newsletter that includes updates and your videos from the past week or month. By sending one email to your subscribers, you could end up receiving thousands of video views.​

​True View Advertisements

Do you have a budget to promote your videos? If so, you can create video ads for your YouTube channel through the Adwords for video program. These video advertisements are called TrueView ads and are played before a video on YouTube loads (those 15-30 second ads or the ones that allow you to select “skip” after 5 seconds).You are only charged when someone views the required time for your TrueView ad and can target where you would like them to appear. This is a very effective way to bring awareness to your YouTube channel. Always try to make your first 5 seconds as effective as possible in order to entice viewers to finish watching the rest of the advertisement!​

​Video Search Engine Optimization

You can get more views by optimizing your YouTube videos for search engines. SEO, also known as search engine optimization, involves adding relevant keywords and phrases to your videos in order to be found by search engines like Google. These phrases and keywords should be similar to search queries that are relevant to your video. This will help people come across your videos on search engines when searching for a certain topic or keyword.​You can place these keywords/phrases in your title, video description, file name, and as tags. Make sure the keywords are relevant and be careful not to over optimize (placing too many keywords) because this will not do any good.​

Blogging

Starting a blog allows you to build a following for your channel outside of YouTube. Every time you create a blog post, it can bring you visitors from search engines. You can then convert these visitors into your viewers. For best results, try placing your YouTube videos at the end of each blog post or on your sidebar. You can do this by using the embed feature on YouTube. Just copy and paste the code wherever you like.​Another tool you can use is the YouTube subscribe widget. This can be found on the Google developers web page. It allows your readers to subscribe to your YouTube with just one click! If you’re running out of blog content ideas, you can even transcribe your videos! This allows you to get visitors who are searching for information that can be found in your videos.​

​Forums

Forums are where discussions happen. Whenever there is a discussion happening that is relevant to your YouTube channel, you should try taking part. By providing quality answers and discussions, other members of the forum will be enticed to visit your channel.​In regards to letting others know about your videos, you never want to spam or post your YouTube links when irrelevant or unhelpful. Most forums allow you to create a custom signature. This is a great place to link to your channel. If allowed, you can even use the name of your channel as your username.​

​Contests

People love contests! By setting up a contest around your YouTube channel with a cool prize, you are sure to garner a lot of interest. For example, the contest could require participants to share your videos on social media, leave a specific comment, or even blog about your channel. This will help spread the word about your YouTube channel and grow your audience.

When it comes to choosing an awesome prize, you do not have to spend money. For example, the winners could receive a mention in your next video or even a personal video thanking them. Just remember to be creative!​

Go to VidCon @ Event or Conference

VidCon (Example) is the largest gathering of online video creators and YouTube lovers. By attending VidCon, you can meet and network with creators of other channels as well as those involved in your industry. You may even end up collaborating with another YouTube creator. This is an effective way to expand your audience.

VidCon is also a great place to meet with your viewers and followers. Engaging with those who support you is essential for long term success. Speaker panels hosted at the event allow you to gain knowledge and a better understanding of what it takes to market your YouTube channel.​

​Meetup Group

Starting a meetup group with YouTube video creators allows you to discuss the latest tips, trends and strategies for growth on YouTube. The group can meetup on a weekly or monthly basis. Every time a new person joins the group, be sure to introduce yourself. Meetup groups provide you the opportunity discuss marketing strategies that are working for others and can also lead to collaboration videos.​

​Collab Videos

As mentioned above, collaborating with other YouTube creators is a really effective way to grow your viewership. Collab videos involve 2 or more channel owners producing a video together. The person uploading the collab video to his or her channel usually provides a mention and link to the participants.​Collaborating with YouTube creators allows you create a bigger audience because viewers from other channels will be interested in checking out your videos. One of the best formats for collaborating is to split the collaboration video into 2 or more parts and then each partner can upload a part to their YouTube channel.

​You can also exchange video mentions with other YouTube creators without even creating a collaboration video. Creators can find similar channels to work with using the free Audience Dashboard from Tubular Labs which effectively and easily facilitiates these kind of collaborations.

​Speak at Events

Speaking at events allows you to showcase your expertise. You can apply to become a speaker at an event that is relevant to your YouTube channel. For example, if you create videos on tax tips then you can try becoming a speaker at an event that focuses on taxation. For the best results, speak at events that have an attendance which is similar to your viewership. By showcasing your expertise to those interested, you are creating a pathway to your YouTube channel for when people are looking for similar information.​

Video Commenting

Leaving valuable comments under YouTube videos is a good way to let the creator and viewers know about your YouTube channel. Every time you leave some great feedback or a good point, those who agree with you will like your comment and give you a thumbs up. This will make your comment appear higher and can prompt new viewers to visit your profile to which they will find your awesome video content.​

​16 Blog Commenting

Commenting on blogs is another way to get the word out about your YouTube channel. You want to follow the same rules as mentioned previously in regards to leaving some great feedback and good points. Most blogs require you to fill out two fields when providing a comment. The 2 fields are usually your name and email. But most of the time there is also an optional field called, “website”. This is where you can place your channel url. Every time someone views your comment and clicks on your name, they will be directed to your YouTube channel. It’s important to comment on blogs that are relevant to the topics of your videos.​

​Sticker Marketing

This is a very simple way to market your channel. Sticker marketing involves placing branded stickers in frequently visited places. It’s that simple! The stickers should be branded with your YouTube name, channel url, and a great tagline. You should use a big enough font and avoid putting too much information because the stickers should be easy to read. Your stickers can be placed on doors, bus stops, or even message boards. Be careful not to “sticker spam” and make sure you have permission to place the stickers at the places you prefer.​

​Advertise on Your Car

How about using your vehicle as an advertisement? You could place an advertisement for your YouTube channel on the trunk or doors of your car. Every time you go for a drive, you could end up getting new viewers. The advertisement could be a large sticker with your YouTube information. Make sure that the design allows people to read about your channel from a distance.​

​Write for Magazines

​Writing for a magazine allows you to showcase your industry knowledge by providing great content to readers that are relevant to your niche. You can mention your YouTube channel in your author bio with each contribution. It’s important to write for a magazine that provides content similar to yours. This will help transition readers into your viewers.​

​Get Published in the Press

Like with magazines, you can also write for your local newspaper. If you feel that you have some great information for your community, then you can contact the editor with your proposed content. Another way to get published in the press is to do interviews. Journalists are frequently looking to interview people for their own content. This is a great opportunity for you to participate and get your YouTube channel mentioned in return.​

​Start a Podcast

Podcasting allows you to build a following separate from your YouTube channel. It also allows you to provide more content to your current YouTube fans and followers. Most importantly, it gives you the ability to convert your listeners into YouTube subscribers.​You could start a podcast on topics similar to your channel. For example, let’s say you make videos on fitness tips and exercises. You could start a weekly podcast on the latest fitness trends, workouts, and diet tips. While doing so, you can mention your channel anytime during the podcast and encourage your listeners to subscribe. ReelSEO’s Tubetalk is an excellent example of a podcast that caters to the topic of video marketing, and promotes the YouTube channels of all contributors.​

​Email Signature

Use your email account often? If so, you can create a custom signature with your YouTube channel information. You can also include links to your social media pages. Every time you send or reply to an email, your YouTube info will be shown at the bottom of the message.​

​Guest Blogging

As mentioned earlier, blogging is a really effective way to promote your videos. Guest blogging allows you to get the same benefits without managing a blog. You can email blogs that are relevant to your YouTube channel to see if they are open to taking a guest post.​Many websites and blogs usually have a guest posting page to let readers know that they are open to guest posts. These pages also include guidelines, so be sure to follow them. At the end of each guest post, authors are allowed to link back to their blog. In your case, you can link back to your YouTube channel.

​Rent a Booth

If you are a brand or have a budget then you can rent a booth at an event or trade show. When people visit your booth, you can giveaway branded merchandise and t-shirts with your YouTube info. The more people that make use of your branded merchandise, the higher your potential viewership will increase.​Renting a booth gives you the chance to network with visitors who may be interested in subscribing to your YouTube channel. You may also be mentioned by the press covering the event.​

​Host a Workshop

As mentioned previously, you should establish your YouTube channel or yourself as the authority in your industry. Hosting a workshop lets you do just that! For example, let’s say that you are a beauty vlogger and you make videos on make-up tutorials. In this case, you could host a workshop that covers make-up lessons similar to your YouTube videos. This would make your YouTube channel the go to source when your attendees are searching for similar lessons. Even those who are not able to attend your workshop will still give your channel a closer look.​

​Google Plus Community

By starting a Google+ community page, you are creating a place for others to discuss topics similar to your channel. When you are setting up your community page, you can add a link to your YouTube profile.​Post your thoughts and answer questions to get even more exposure for your channel. The community page can be set up as public or private. You can also invite people to join. The community will allow you to brand your channel. Every time someone joins the page, they will be able to see your YouTube link.​

​YouTube Fan Finder Program

Did you know that YouTube is spending money to help you promote your YouTube channel for free? The YouTube Fan Finder program allows you to submit up to 5 advertisements for your channel. These ads are then shown across different YouTube videos to an audience that is relevant to your channel.​The goal of this program is promote your YouTube channel to viewers that will enjoy and engage with your videos. Your ads should be short video clips that give a preview of what your channel is about. Be sure to make your first 5 seconds really good. Every time a viewer clicks on the channel ad, they are directed to your profile. Fan Finder is a great way to build a bigger audience at no cost to you!​

​Interact with Your Audience

​Taking the time to interact with those that support you is not only the right thing to do but it is important for long term growth. Viewers like to feel appreciated so it’s essential that you engage with them.​One of the best places to interact with your supporters is on Twitter. You can tweet or reply to those who watch your videos. When others on social media see you interacting with your followers, they may be interested in joining the conversation and possibly becoming your newest subscriber.​

​Compelling YouTube Thumbnails

When it comes to search results, images draw a lot of attention. By creating a custom thumbnail that attracts viewers, you can make your videos stand out from others. You can create an attractive thumbnail and upload it for each video. Make sure your font can still be read when reduced to a thumbnail. The image should be relevant to your videos because you want your visitors to stay engaged. Test out different styles to see which ones give you the best click thru rate.​

​Use Hashtags

You should always be using hashtags on social media. Google+, Twitter, Facebook and many other social media platforms that allow you to use hashtags. Every time you use a hashtag it increases your potential reach.

​Whenever someone searches for your hashtag, they will come across your post. So it’s important to use relevant hashtags when creating a post that is linked to your YouTube video. Someone who makes videos on soccer lessons could use the hashtag #soccer or #soccerlessons. Using hashtags helps you reach potential viewers that are currently not following you.​

​Allow Embeds

For your YouTube videos, you have the option to allow embedding or disable it. When you allow your videos to be embedded, it lets others share your content on blogs and web pages. All someone needs to do in order to embed your YouTube video is copy and paste the link under the, “share” tab. Anytime a blogger, webmaster, or journalist comes across your video and want to embed it in their content, it will result in the video getting more exposure.​

​Encourage Sharing

Asking your viewers to share your YouTube videos is a must. At the end of your videos, you should encourage your viewers to share your content with their friends and on social media. Every time someone shares your YouTube channel, it opens a new doorway to your videos. You can even offer incentives or use a contest as mentioned earlier. By rewarding your viewers for sharing your channel, it will result in more doorways being opened to your videos.​

​Use Playlists

A playlist is a custom list of videos on YouTube. They should always be used! Whenever someone is watching a video from a playlist, they will be directed to the next video in that list after the current one is finished being viewed.​Try creating a playlist with your recent videos and then send visitors to the playlist instead of just each video. This increases the chances of your viewers watching more than one video. Playlists allow you to group videos together in order to get more channel views.​

​Awesome Titles

Your YouTube videos should have great titles. The title of each video should be catchy, descriptive and have keywords. Be careful not to create irrelevant titles just to get more views because it will lead to less engagement. Your title needs to be intriguing in order to catch a viewer’s attention. It should be descriptive to let people know what to expect. Lastly, it should include keywords that people will search for in order to find your video.​

​Create Consistent Video Content

The more videos you create the more pathways to your YouTube channel. It’s good to have as many pathways as possible. If you are not consistent with uploading videos to your channel, people will start to unsubscribe. That is the opposite of what we are trying to do here!You should create a consistent amount of videos per week and follow a specific schedule to keep your following on good terms. This will allow your viewers to know when to expect your next video. With each video you create, you have the ability to show up in different search results. Over time as you create more content, you will end up noticing a higher total in channel views.​

​Host a Webinar

Webinars are a very popular way to present information online. They are also a good way to brand your YouTube channel. You can use webinars to interact with your viewers, provide lessons, and build relationships with those interested in your industry. For example, let’s say you create videos on car reviews. In this case, you could start a webinar for car buying tips.​Webinars provide the same benefits of hosting a workshop and are a great way to build a presence around your YouTube channel. At the end of webinars you can engage with your audience by answering any questions they have on the topic. By doing so, you are building a stronger relationship with your following.​

​Social Bookmarking Sites

Reddit, Digg, and StumbleUpon are just a few of the many social bookmarking websites that can make your videos go viral. Social bookmarking sites are filled with communities and users interested in checking out new content.​Every site has a different feel and community, so it’s important to do some research before submitting your content. Doing so will show you where you can find the best results. If users like your video, they will vote for it and as you get more votes, the submitted video will rank higher. Content that is ranked high receives a lot of traffic so there’s a good chance your video will get a ton of views.

​YouTube Tags

Have you ever come across videos with phrases like, “Get to know me tag” or “5 Questions Tag”? These videos are based on specific YouTube tags. Most of the time, video creators on YouTube will be using the same tag as everyone else during that time frame. This is because it helps bring extra views from users that are searching for the YouTube tag. Using them can also make your videos appear on the right sidebar when viewers are watching a different video with the same tag. Using trending YouTube tags is an effective marketing strategy.​

​Question and Answer Videos

It is important to engage with your viewers for long term growth. One way to do so is by doing question and answer videos. Your viewers ask you questions, and you answer them. To make this work, you can ask your viewers to leave their questions in the comments section for you to answer in the next video. Answering questions shows your audience that you appreciate their support and will help strengthen your following.​

​Print out Flyers / Brochure / Leaflet

Yes, this form of marketing still works for many people. Creating flyers about your YouTube channel is a very easy task. All you have to do is create a design on your computer and print it out! After printing out your flyers, you can hand them out or place them in busy areas. Placing your flyers in areas that are visited often is usually the best option because it allows them to be seen by more than one person. Make sure to include your social media links as well!​​

​Use QR codes

​QR (Quick Response) codes can be linked directly to your YouTube channel. They are known as those square shaped barcodes that can be scanned by your smart phone. QR codes have become a popular way to share information. There are tons of QR code generators online that can help you create one that directs people to your YouTube videos. These codes can be placed on your business cards, flyers, and all other promotional materials.​

​Word of Mouth

One of the top ways to market your channel is by talking about it. Tell your friends about it and encourage them to do the same. The more people talking about your YouTube channel, the better. Attending networking events allows you to engage with others and mention your YouTube channel. Creating a positive buzz from word of mouth marketing is priceless. Having people recommend your channel is some of the best branding and advertising that you can get.​

​Public Bulletin Boards

You can find bulletin boards at libraries, universities and many public locations. They can be used to advertise your channel by posting flyers or other promotional print outs. You can even post information for your podcasts and webinars like we discussed earlier. Research your target age group and use bulletin boards that are visited by that specific age group. Your post should stick out from other messages on the same board.​

​Partnering with a Brand

A lot of companies and brands are very open to partnering with content creators. By partnering with a brand, you would be giving them exposure through your videos. In return, you can get advertising from the brand and their following.It’s important to put your best foot forward in reaching out to brands. A great resource to help creators promote themselves is Tubular Creator Profiles. Share your Profile link with anyone you’d like to partner with to give them a quick way to check out your content, reach and rankings.​

​Google Hangouts

Many successful YouTube creators use Google Hangouts to interact with their followers. This is yet another great way to engage with your audience. Instead of making a video to answer questions from your viewers, you can do it live! After finishing the live stream, you can upload the footage to your YouTube channel. You can even use Google Hangouts to provide information and tips on topics related to your industry. This will encourage others to visit your YouTube channel when looking for information on similar topics.​

​Create a Facebook Group

​Just like with Google+ communities, you can establish a place to discuss topics related to your channel by creating a Facebook group. The group can be open or invitational. By starting a Facebook group, you can build a community around your YouTube channel. Having an engaging community who supports your videos is vital for growth. With a Facebook group, you can create just that!​

​Set Homepages to YouTube Channel

When someone uses an internet browser, they start at a homepage. What if that homepage was your YouTube channel? If so, every time someone uses the internet, your channel would be the first thing to load. For starters, you can try seeing if your friends and family would be interested in doing so. After that, you can try negotiating with places like libraries or computer cafes. Your goal should be to scale up the amount of default home pages you can change to your YouTube channel so it’s best to find a place where the internet is being browsed daily.